Cathode ray tubes, of the types conventionally employed in television and allied display applications, often utilize tube support systems associated with implosion-resistant means in the form of a tensioned metallic banding encompassment of the forward region of the tube envelope adjacent the viewing area. Banded tubes of this construction often utilize a plurality of spaced-apart substantially L-shaped supporting brackets having a seating portion and an integrally related upstanding apertured ear-like appendage. Such tube-supporting brackets are usually affixed in a compressed sandwiched manner between the surface of the tube envelope and a superjacent metallic banding tightly tensioned thereover to provide the intended implosion-inhibiting characteristics for the tube.
In the fabrication of the viewing panel portion of the tube envelope, a mold match line is evidenced perpherally encircling the envelope adjacent to the beginning of the curvature of the closure portion constituting the viewing panel. To promote optimum implosion resistance, it has been found advantageous to orient the tensioned banding in a manner to overlay the mold line.
Being positionally affixed by the tensioned banding, the appendage portions of the L-shaped supporting brackets extend outward in a substantially normal fashion from the edge of the banding strap. Usually four such brackets are employed, and on rectangular type tubes, are conventionally positioned at substantially the corner regions of the panel portion. As such, the respective apertures therein are oriented to mate with suitable predetermined mounting surfaces and means, such as studs, bolts or screws; such being located on the inside of a display cabinet or similar setting having an opening therein to accommodate the tube viewing panel. This display opening is usually of an area slightly smaller than the surface area of the panel, since the internal screen display area of the tube is smaller than the exterior surface of the panel. It is common practice to frame this display opening with a decorative bezel to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the viewed display.
Manufacturers of display equipment, television sets and the like, usually stipulate the tube panel area to be viewed. As such, the boundary of the framing area is designated as the "Z point" region, and the distance from the "Z point" to the respective front planes of the bracket appendages is specified to facilitate desired mounting placement of the tube. In view of the variety of tube sizes and mounting arrangements, matching difficulties have been encountered due to differing "Z point"-to-appendage dimensions. The usual L-shaped mounting brackets, being located with the appendage against the edge of the banding strap, allow for only limited shifting of the banding, during tube fabrication, and still have it in desired overlay relationship with the mold line. Thus, some tube types, employing the conventional L-shaped brackets, are not readily adaptable to adequately meet certain mounting applications wherein the "Z point"-to-bracket dimensions do not match the required mounting conditions.